1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to hand-held electronic remote controller or remote commander devices such as are used to control host devices such as televisions, video players, audio players and cable boxes, and the like.
2. Description of the Related Prior Art
Prior art hand-holdable remote controllers for remotely controlling host devices such as televisions, cable boxes and satellite receivers therefor, video and audio players and the like have been used for many years. A typical prior art remote controller comprises a housing usually small enough to hold in a single hand. With wireless hand-held remote controllers, by far the most common today, a battery power source is contained within the housing. Wireless remote controllers are most commonly used directly or indirectly for controlling televisions, video and audio players due to the added convenience and safety of not having an electrical cord extending from the remote controller to the host device and one which a person could trip over. Within the typical remote controller housing is an electrical power source connected to electronic circuitry. The circuitry is for generating specific function-control signals for instructing the host device to perform a desired function. A radiation emitter, most commonly an infrared light emitter, is supported by the housing and connected to the circuitry to be controlled thereby. The radiation emitter, from one viewpoint, is typically considered a part of the circuitry. The radiation emitter emits radiation representative of or carrying a function-control signal from the circuitry of the remote controller to the host device. Exposed on the exterior of the housing is a plurality of finger depressible buttons which interface with momentary-On sensors of the controller. The momentary-On sensors are simple On/Off switches which assume a normally off or open position, and which interface between the exposed buttons and the circuitry of the remote controller. The momentary-On sensors typically are positioned between the exposed button portions and the circuitry which is typically on a circuit board. As will be detailed, the exposed portions of the buttons are often integral components of the sensors, or at least can be viewed as such particularly when elastomeric dome-caps sensors are employed. The exposed buttons allow interfacing of a human digit such as a finger or thumb with the electrical switches to close the switches in order to control the circuitry to actuate (or deactuate) a function of the host device via a function-control signal released electronically in the circuitry and sent via the radiation emitter to the host device. Typically each push button is associated with the circuitry such that each button is associated with only one of many function-control signals which the remote controller can output, and this explains the many buttons commonly on prior art remote controllers.
As those skilled in the art understand, host devices structured for remote control include a control-function signal receiver and circuitry for reading and processing the received control-function signals from the remote control, and for acting upon a received signal.
Host devices such as televisions, satellite receiver tuners or cable boxes for televisions and VCRs and DVDs which include tuners for selecting channels and which are structured for remote control, typically function with remote controllers which include a depressible channel-up button for scrolling or tuning upward through the channels at a predetermined rate for as long as the button is depressed, and a separate channel-down button for scrolling or tuning downward through the available channels at a predetermined rate as long as the button is depressed. When the channel-up or channel-down button is depressed, a function-control signal is sent from the remote controller to the host device, and is repeated at a predetermined rate until the depression of the button is released. The specific function-control signal, typically being a repeating digital bit stream, is such that it contains information which informs the host device as to which button is depressed, i.e., channel up or down, and the host device initiates the requested action. If the requested action is to move upward through the available channels, scrolling upward through the channels occurs for as long as the button is depressed, and the rate of scrolling is a predetermined rate. If the channel scroll down button is depressed by the user, the scrolling downward through the channel occurs for as long as the button is depressed, and the rate of downward scrolling is also a predetermined rate.
Due to the predetermined rate channel scrolling, it can require an excessive amount of time to scroll from one end of the available channels to the other end, for example, from channel 100 up to channel 555. Also, if the predetermined rate of scrolling through the channels is excessively high, it becomes difficult to stop at a particular desired channel. Therefore, many remote controllers of the type allowing channel selection, particularly those for control of televisions and associated equipment, include a keypad comprising a plurality of depressible buttons, the buttons each having an assigned number usually printed on the button, with ten buttons typically being used and each button assigned a number from 0 up to 9. A button assigned 1 can be pressed to call for channel 1, or pressed, and followed within a pre-determined brief time frame by the pressing of a 0 button to in effect call for channel 10. The 2 button pushed by itself calls for channel 2, while the 9 button calls for channel 9, and the 8 button pressed and followed by pressing the 7 button within a brief time frame calls for channel 87 as those skilled in the art as well as users of such remotes understand. With some remote controllers, pressing three channel buttons in a short interval can be used to select channels in the 100s, e.g. pressing 2 and then 3 and then 6 within an alloted time interval calls for channel 236. This procedure is at best awkward to many users.
In some prior art remote controllers associated with television channel selection, particularly modern high channel count receivers, the channel scrolling buttons when depressed to close the switch provide more than one predetermined rate scrolling speeds, i.e., when the button is first depressed, channel changing is slow, and with continued depression of the button over time, high scrolling speeds are obtained. Such multiple predetermined rate scrolling speeds are selected based on how long the normally open momentary-On switch associated with the channel up or down scrolling button has been closed. For example, if a user depresses and holds down the channel scroll up button, scrolling begins at a first predetermined rate which is relatively slow, and within a pre-determined period, a counter in the electronics of the host device initiates the electronics to utilize a second and faster predetermined rate of scrolling through the channels. Upon the scroll up button being released, the associated system stops scrolling and resets. Subsequent depression and holding of the scroll up button again requires the first predetermined rate to first be initiated and be held for a period of time, after which the second and faster predetermined rate of scrolling is automatically initiated. While this multi-speed predetermined rate scrolling arrangement might be considered an improvement over a single predetermined rate channel scroller, there are still shortcomings. One clear problem is that there is no ability to gradually slow down the predetermined high scroll rate. The resulting excessive scrolling speed near a desired channel renders it difficult to stop scrolling on the desired channel. Additionally, while the user can scroll through many channels quickly, and then release the scroll button prior to reaching the desired channel, the scroll button will again need to be depressed to advance further toward (or backward to) the target channel, such depression if held too long automatically engages the second faster predetermined scroll speed and rendering it again difficult to stop precisely on the target channel.
Another shortcoming of such remote controllers providing multiple predetermined channel scroll rates related to time of button depression is the significantly long time delay required to shift from a low rate to a high rate of scrolling. Many users choose to use the number keypad for individual channel input rather than wait the time required for the scroll rate to increase. Use of the keypad is less than an optimum solution.
At least one prior art remote controller for the high end Panasonic Omnivision SVHS VCR employs, in addition to having many momentary-On switches (depressible buttons), a rotary knob linked to a rotary encoder or potentiometer coupled to the internal circuitry and used for outputting a signal via the radiation emitter to the VCR to variably control video speeds such as fast forward or reverse search modes, or the playback rate of the slow motion mode. Additional rotary knob function control technology for a remote controller or commander is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,866,542, assigned to Sony Corp. of Tokyo, Japan, and issued Sep. 12, 1989 and reissued as U.S. patent RE35343 Oct. 1, 1996. While an encoder or potentiometer can be used to control the rate of play of a recorded video in forward or reverse directions, and for controlling certain other functions such as channel selection, encoders and poteniometers are relatively expensive and physically large compared to a typical prior art On/Off depressible button switch of the type used in all such remote controllers. Additionally, in order to function well with a human digit, i.e., finger or thumb, a rotary knob is best sized substantially larger than a depressible button, which leads to the controller being physically larger. Furthermore, a rotary encoder or potentiometer requires the user to apply a rotary force to the knob, and this is a completely different action than the normal, familiar and desirable push button action associated with all or most user interfaces on a hand held remote control commander. Most users of single hand remote controllers can master use of the controller with only one hand, grasping the housing to hold the remote and using either a thumb or finger of the grasping hand to depress the desired buttons. While some can master using a rotary knob on a remote controller in a similar single hand operation, most users find it easier to utilizes both hands, one holding the housing and with the other hand rotating the knob.
The vast majority of prior art remote controllers, particularly those used with consumer electronics, employ only depressible buttons associated only with momentary-On switches interfacing with the electronics of the remote controller. The vast majority of remote controllers having a plurality of momentary-On switches and associated depressible buttons utilizing elastomeric injection molded dome-cap type momentary-On switches, and most commonly with a plurality of dome-cap switches held in close proximity to one another in a connected sheet integrally molded with the dome-caps. Elastomeric molded dome-cap momentary-On switches (sensors) are well known and widely used in the prior art as switches incorporated in such devices as remote controllers for televisions and stereos, and in electronic game remote control devices, and some computer keyboards, etc. In all of the above mentioned devices and in all known prior art where the elastomeric dome-cap sensor is employed, the molded dome-cap is always used as a component of a sensor having a single threshold serving as a simple make or break (closed or open) electrical switch in a circuit.
The term elastomeric is used to describe any rubber-like material, whether natural or synthetic.
Structurally, the prior art elastomeric injection molded dome-cap carries a normally raised conductive element or disk referred to as a pill or a carbon pill. The conductive pill is herein sometimes referred to as the "active element". The active element in prior art elastomeric injection molded dome-cap sensors is commonly made of a binder of elastomeric or rubbery material binding carbon or carbon containing material and possibly other materials. The active element is located at the top inside of the non-conductive elastomeric dome-cap and above two proximal highly conductive elements or traces so that with depression of the dome-cap, such as with pressure applied by a finger, the active element is moved with the collapsing dome-cap into contact with both proximal conductive elements and closes an otherwise normally open circuit. Since the injection molded dome-cap is resilient, with release of pressure on the dome-cap it returns to a raised position carrying the active element with it to open the circuit. Electronic circuitry associated with the two proximal conductive elements, which are either bridged or not bridged by the active element of the elastomeric dome-cap, is circuitry which in the prior art has always been structured only to detect or read a threshold event, i.e., an open or closed, only On/Off states across the proximal conductive elements.
As those skilled in the art appreciate, most, but not all elastomeric injection molded dome-caps when depressed produce a soft snap, break-over, which is a user discernable tactile feedback. This tactile feedback occurs when the dome-cap is depressed beyond a given point; the point being where a mechanical threshold is crossed and the tactile "snap" is produced. The snap defining the tactile sensation occurs just prior to the active element being brought into contact with the two proximal conductive elements. The tactile sensation is perceived by the user as occurring at the same time the sensor is activated, which in the prior art is when the switch is closed. The switch remains closed until such time as the user releases pressure on the dome-cap, at which time the dome-cap being made of elastomeric material returns to a raised position carrying the active element with it and off of the proximal conductive elements. The elastomeric injection molded dome-cap typically again produces a tactile sensation as it moves upward crossing the mechanical snap-through threshold. Elastomeric injection molded dome-caps are typically molded primarily of thermoset rubber, are one-piece absent joints or seams, and provide excellent durability for a very low cost. The active element in the prior art is typically adhered to the inside top of the dome-cap during the injection molding phase of manufacturing the dome-cap.
Another type of prior art sensor, not known to be used in remote controllers, is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,806,471 issued Apr. 23, 1974 to R. J. Mitchell for "PRESSURE RESPONSIVE RESISTIVE MATERIAL". Mitchell describes sensors which utilize pressure-sensitive variable-conductance material to produce analog outputs. Mitchell does not use or suggest an elastomeric injection molded dome-cap used to either carry variable-conductance material or to transfer finger applied pressure into variable-conductance material. Mitchell also fails to recognize any need for or suggest the use of an elastomeric injection molded dome-cap to provide tactile feedback to the user upon actuation or de-actuation of the pressure-sensitive variable-conductance sensor. U.S. Pat. No. 4,315,238 issued Feb. 9, 1982 to F. Eventoff describes a pressure-sensitive bounceless switch absent a suggestion of using an elastomeric injection molded one-piece dome-cap or providing tactile feedback, and is thus considered to be cumulative prior art to the Mitchell disclosure. Both Mitchell and Eventoff fail to suggest use of pressure-sensitive variable-conductance sensors or pressure-sensitive variable-conductance material in a remote controller, or in a dome-cap or any sensor embodiment supplying tactile feedback, and applied to a remote controller of a host device such as a television or recorded video player, etc., and in association with circuitry structured for control or manipulation by the elastomeric dome-cap sensor applied as an analog sensor.
Clearly, prior art remote control devices fail to deliver optimum user control of highly ubiquitous consumer electronic devices. Prior art remote control devices fail to deliver user determinable channel rate control. Prior art remote control devices also fail to deliver user determinable variable video rate control in a low cost, ergonomic, familiar and desirable depressible button format.